YOUTH RUGBY: DESPITE their worst performance of the season, Chippenham U18s kept alive their hopes of a league and cup double as they made it through to the last four of the Dorset and Wilts Cup.
Despite this, Chippenham managed to take a 12-point lead with two well-worked tries.
The first came from number 8 Shane Johnstone and the second from prop Karl Parry, with Gareth Wiltshire adding the conversion.
Swanage struck back with a well taken try after Chippenham needlessly tried to run the ball out of their own 22, but the conversion attempt was missed.
Andy Flower intercepted a stray pass and raced in for a converted try after the break, then scored again to open up a 21-point lead for his side.
Swanage rallied and did what no other side has done this season and crossed the Chippenham try line three times.
None of their tries were converted and, with the game hanging in the balance, Chippenham produced their best spell.
Good work between the forwards and the backs saw Flower complete his hat-trick to spare the visitors' blushes.
Development coach Rob Alford said: "Having won the league, with a 12 out of 12 record, a degree of complacency has crept in. This is a game that we could easily have lost and the players and coaches now need to refocus before the semi-final."
Chippenham face a tough trip to Wimborne in the semi-finals.
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